Plumber's Bum!

Cough still hanging on, especially at night, so tried Carolina's suggestion - though she may have been kidding me, now I come to think of it... - Vick's Vapour rub on the soles of the feet, keep socks on...

It didn't work, but boy! I had strange dreams.

Popped up to the doctor to check on last week's blood test. All good, and we begin the process of cutting down the magic pills gradually. I also got a flu jab, though I'm not technically due one yet, but I am in one of the susceptible groups.

The plumber has been here for most of the day. Archie and I were out the front in the weak sunshine. I did a bit of sawing.

Then I did another load of my newspaper briquettes. I am so over these things! They just don't dry in this weather. I've got millions of 'em now. (21 to be exact, but they seem to be taking over...) I had them all piled up round the fire last night. Archie loves them - tries to nibble bits off them all the time. The briquette maker has been put away in its box till next summer. Or possibly, for ever...

Heard a fascinating programme this morning on Radio 4 Book of the Week - Val McDermid (the crime writer) reading from her book on forensic science.

Overheard by one of the loud teenagers passing the gate: 'My father's not worried now - he passed the altzheimer's test in the Daily Mail'. Might need to check it out myself. If I remember...

We now have a radiator that can heat the whole lounge. All we need now, Jason, my nice young plumber suggests, is a flash new wifi room temperature controller.

Archie has been a good help. Archie has been a proper little nuisance, hanging round, picking up bits and pieces of plumbing kit and running off with them. Jason was very patient. Just a grab shot of him supervising filling the boiler (or something).

Bonus: A humungous radiator to dry out my newspaper briquettes on!